Xerxes: Religious Policy

Question	Answer
What was the 'sacred book'?	The sacred book was the "avesta".
What were 'magi'?	Magi were hereditary priests.
What was the 'Holy Arta', and what did it emphasise?	The Holy Arta was Xerxes' own personal form of religion, which emphasised truth and righteousness.
What did Xerxes attribute to Ahura Mazda?	Xerxes attributed his ascension to King, and his building program of Persepolis, to Ahura Mazda.
What was Xerxes an "adversary" of, and what evidence is there to prove it?	Xerxes was adversary/destroyer of the 'daevas' (demons). This can be seen in a stone tablet in Persepolis, in which the inscription states "By the favour of Ahura Mazda, I destroyed the sanctuary of the demons".
Which historian describes Xerxes' devotion to Ahura Mazda, and what do they say about it?	Herodotus says that Ahura Mazda was worshipped as "the wide sky above the earth".
What evidence is there of foreign cults in Persepolis, and when was it discovered?	In 1968, several damaged 'stone-horned' altars were found in Persepolis. It is suggested that Xerxes had them destroyed to keep a foreign cult out (in favour of Ahura Mazda).
What was Xerxes' attitude towards other religions?	Xerxes tolerated other religions, but strictly for political reasons.

Resource summary

	Created by Hunter Lynch about 10 years ago